Xolisile Bongwana
Eastern Cape-born Xolisile Bongwana is an accomplished dancer who is also well- versed in singing, composing, directing, acting, and choreographing. Bongwana has had an impressive career as an artist over the past decade-and-a-half and his involvement in the performing arts industry has seen him work with award-winning choreographers such as Robyn Orlin, Luyanda Sidiya, and Gregory Maqoma. His impressive performance experience includes the Gibson Kente Music Tribute, Hugh Masekela Celebration, Centre For The Less Good Idea (Seasons 1, 2, and 5), Enyangeni, and Cion. Bongwana’s composition was used for Luyanda Sidiya’s Siva, a Standard Bank Young Artist winner for Dance in 2015. The work was performed at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown and China. Bongwana has also composed for Makwande, which premiered in NAF Grahamstown and then was seen at the Pretoria State Theatre. An artist of note, Bongwana was selected in 2016 as part of the Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans. He recently created his own work titled Mnquma which has been performed at the Centre For The Less Good Idea, Pop Art Theatre, Dance Umbrella Africa, My Body My Space, and Market Theatre. He has toured Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe, France, the UK, Spain, Canada, Australia, and the United States.